Hospital's new product line will put parents' minds at ease

November 14, 2013|By Julie Landry Laviolette

After years of seeing worried parents bring infants to the emergency room for simple ailments such as a cut nail bed from trimming nails or an overheated baby from too much swaddling at bedtime, the medical staff at Miami Children’s Hospital decided to help parents be more proactive.

They created KidzStuff, a line of protective infant clothing and care items. Introduced in September, the products, which are sold in sizes for newborns to 24 months, include clothing that protects against sun and insect bites. Coming later this year is a onesie that changes color as a baby’s temperature rises.

KidzStuff is sold in the hospital gift shop and at shopkidzstuff.com. Prices range from $9.99 for a nail clipper to $19.99 for rompers to $49.99 for a brace that supports an infant’s head and neck.

The hospital’s medical staff “wanted to come up with a solution to help parents avoid having to bring their children to the ER for something that is less serious,” said Debbie da Silva, logistics and retail operations leader for KidzStuff.

KidzStuff is the brainchild of Dr. Narendra Kini, CEO of Miami Children’s Hospital. “The physicians on our medical staff and our nurses and clinical staff have daily interactions with parents and children out of which brilliant ideas are born,” he said in a release.

Research and product development has taken about two years, da Silva said. Profits from the line go back into the hospital, which gives $16 million to $20 million in uncompensated care to disadvantaged families each year.

“Our ultimate goal is to be a nationwide or international distributor of children’s wellness items,” da Silva said.

Products include:

Sun Blocker romper – a long-sleeved, hooded romper in a lightweight fabric with a 40 UPF in infant to 24-month sizes. “No one has made this type of product for infants because infants are not supposed to be out in the sun,” da Silva said. “And you’re not supposed to use sunblock on children under the age of 6 months. “But if you go to a local beach or park, you will see infants being exposed to harmful sun rays. We wanted to make something parents can use to get in the habit of sun-savvy protection.”

Insect Shield romper – Rompers contain an EPA-approved insect-repellant, Permethrin, that is bonded to the fabric like a dye and does not rub off on the skin, da Silva said. “That’s a big concern for parents — using chemicals on a baby’s skin — but this does not rub off, so it’s perfectly safe,” she said. The insect protection lasts through 70 washes, and the romper is available in sizes from infants to 24 months. The product repels ants, chiggers, flies, mosquitoes, midges and ticks.

HoldEze – An ergonomic neck and head support brace for infants up to 3 months. Fabricated from plastic and sealed foam, it can be used with the HoldEze romper that has a pocket for proper positioning, other clothing, or while the infant is having a bath. “This is not so much for the mother but for her support system,” perhaps children or others who want to hold the baby but do not know how to properly support his or her head, da Silva said. “This makes it easier to hold the baby in the proper position.”

TempEze – Coming in late 2013, this cotton romper has an elephant pattern printed on it with a heat-sensitive ink that starts to fade as your baby’s body temperature rises. It is machine-washable and comes in a pink or blue design in infant to 24-month sizes. the product was designed for use indoors when the baby is sleeping, da Silva said. “The ink is so sensitive that if you brought the baby out in the sun, the ink would turn white instantly,” she said. The goal of the TempEze is to help parents who swaddle their baby in a blanket while sleeping, da Silva said. “Sometimes the baby will get overheated, and the parents will think the baby has a fever,” she said.

Coming soon are a battery-operated ear cleaner with a silicone tip and LED light, and specialized first aid kits, such as one for bites and burns, which will include instruction cards for treatment.

“These are based on the most common ailments we see coming through the ER,” da Silva said.